The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology
The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces rail safety regulations The Federal Railroad Administration also provides funding for rail and conducts research on strategies to improve rail infrastructure.
FRA inspectors on the ground use discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the time-consuming and precise civil penalty procedure. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations are punished.
SMART-TD members and allies made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to keep two people in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight is not over.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration has a range of safety measures in place to safeguard the health and safety of employees and the public. It formulates and enforces regulations for rail safety as well as manages funding for rail and researches strategies for improving rail and new technologies. It also formulates plans, implements and maintains an action plan to maintain the current infrastructure and services for rail. It also expands and improves strategically the national rail network. The department expects all rail companies to abide by strict rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with the tools needed to be successful and secure. This includes taking part in a confidential close-call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational safety and health committees that have full union participation and antiretaliation provisions and providing employees with the required personal protective equipment.
Inspectors of the FRA are at the leading edge of enforcing rail safety laws and regulations. They perform routine inspections on equipment and investigate complaints from hundreds of people. Anyone who is in violation of rail safety laws may be penalized civilly. The safety inspectors of the agency have a broad discretion on whether a particular violation meets the statutory definition of a civil penalty-worthy act. The Office of Chief Counsel’s safety division also examines the reports that regional offices submit to ensure that they are legal before assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised at the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only applied in cases that warrant their use.
A rail worker must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern his actions, and not knowingly violate those guidelines to be guilty of a civil penalty-worthy offence. However the agency doesn't consider anyone who acts under a directive by a supervisor as having committed an intentional violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the whole network that allows passengers and goods to travel within metropolitan and city areas or between them. The trackage of a plant railroad at a steel mill is not considered to be part of the general transportation system by rail even being physically connected to it.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, ranging from those related to safety and the movement of hazardous materials. fela railroad settlements oversees rail financing which includes loans and grants for infrastructure and improvements to service. The agency works with other DOT agencies as well as industry to develop strategies for improving the nation's rail infrastructure. This work includes maintaining current rail infrastructure and services, in addition to addressing the need for additional capacity, strategically expanding the network and coordinating regional and national systems planning and development.
The agency is mostly responsible for freight transport, but also manages passenger transportation. The agency is aiming to provide more options for passenger travel and connect passengers with the places they would like to go. The agency is focused on improving the passenger experience, increasing the safety of the current fleet, and making sure that the railway system continues to function efficiently.
Railroads must adhere to a number of federal regulations, relating to the size of crews on trains. This is controversial in recent years, with some states enacting legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum size of crew requirements, making sure that all railroads follow the same safety standards.
This rule also requires that each railroad operating with a crew of one notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will allow FRA to better identify the specifics of each operation and compare them with the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. In addition this rule alters the criteria for reviewing the special approval petition from determining whether the operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining whether the operation is secure or as safe as a two-crewmember operation.
During the time of public comments for this rule, a lot of people voiced their support for a requirement for a two person crew. In a letter to the editor, 29 people expressed their concerns that a single crew member will not be in a position to respond with the speed required to respond to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings or assist emergency personnel on the highway-rail level crossing. Commenters emphasized that human factors are the reason for more than half of all railroad accidents. They believe that a larger crew could ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.
Technology
Freight and passenger rails use different technologies to improve efficiency, enhance safety, and boost security. Rail industry jargon comprises various distinct terms and acronyms. Some of the most well-known include machine vision systems (also known as drones), instrumented rail-inspection systems driverless trains, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (also called drones).
Technology isn't just about replacing certain jobs. It empowers people to do their jobs better and more safely. Railroads that transport passengers are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards in order to boost ridership and make the system more efficient. Other developments like autonomous rail cars are coming closer to reality.
The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote secure reliable, affordable, and cost-effective transportation in America is focusing on modernizing the railway infrastructure. This multi-billion dollar project will see tunnels, bridges tracks, power systems and tracks upgraded and stations rebuilt or replace. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will substantially expand the agency's rail improvements programs.
The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is an essential component in this initiative. The most recent National Academies review of the office found it excelled at engaging in a continuous dialogue and utilizing the inputs from a variety of stakeholders. However, it needs to be more focused on how its research contributes to the department's primary strategic goal of ensuring the safe transportation of goods and people by railway.
The agency could increase its efficiency by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads, the main freight rail industry industry organization that focuses on research, policy and standard setting, has established a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help in developing industry standards for implementing the technology.
FRA is likely to be interested in the group's development of an automated rail taxonomy, which is a system of standards to clearly and consistently define the different levels of automation that will be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency will want to know the degree of risk the industry perceives with fully automated operation, as well as whether the industry is considering additional measures to mitigate the risk.
Innovation
Rail companies are adopting new technologies to increase worker safety, boost efficiency in business processes and ensure that the cargo they transport reaches its destination in good condition. Examples of such innovations vary from the use sensors and cameras to monitor freight, to new railcar designs that keep dangerous cargo secure during transit. Certain of these technologies provide a way for railroads to send emergency responders to the scene of an accident so they can swiftly mitigate risks to property and lives.
Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most important innovations in rail. It can prevent train-to-train accidents, situations where trains are on track they shouldn't be, and other accidents caused by human error. It is a three-part system consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive and a massive backend server that gathers and analyzes data.
Trains for passengers are also adopting technology to improve safety and security. Amtrak for instance, is experimenting with the use of drones to help security personnel on trains locate passengers and items in the event of an emergency. The company is also exploring other ways to use drones, such as using them to perform inspections of bridges as well as other infrastructure, for example, replacing the lighting on railway towers that could be dangerous for workers to climb.
Other technologies that can be used for railways for passengers include smart track technology, which can detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and send out a warning to drivers if it's unsafe for them to proceed. These technologies are particularly useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized or other problems in the evenings, when traffic is low and there are less witnesses to an accident.
Another significant technological advance in the railway industry is telematics which allows railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to monitor the status and condition of a traincar by real-time tracking. Such capabilities give railcar operators and crews greater control and visibility. They can also aid in improving efficiency, prevent unnecessary maintenance, and prevent delays in the delivery of freight to customers.